Bok royalty approves: Former captains hail ‘fantastic’ series triumph over All Blacks

Former South Africa captain Jean de Villiers said on Sunday that the 43-28 series-clinching victory over New Zealand was a “fantastic performance by a fantastic team”.

The Springboks outscored the All Blacks by six tries to four in Baltimore in the US on Saturday to complete a 3-1 triumph in the four-Test ‘Greatest Rivalry’ showdown.

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“This success will live long in the memory. We must celebrate how we recovered from losing the first Test to win three in a row,” De Villiers told SuperSport.

Fellow former South Africa captains Victor Matfield and Schalk Burger and former wing Breyton Paulse also hailed the reigning Rugby World Cup champions and top-ranked team.

“This team has an incredible ability to turn things around. We were trailing in the series just a few weeks ago and now we are jubilant,” said Matfield.

“A key factor was the aerial battle. I was worried about that aspect of the game before the series, but we grew stronger as the series developed.

“We must also salute (head coach) Rassie Erasmus. He did not panic after the first Test loss. He said then that we could still win the series.”

Burger, a flanker who led the Springboks 11 years ago when centre De Villiers and lock Matfield were unavailable, said the Springboks “always find a way (to win)”.

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“I was a little concerned that we built only a three-point lead by half-time. “We made six entries into the All Blacks’ 22 and scored just two tries.

“But the second half was a different story.

“We dominated the aerial battle and I thought (wing) Kurt-Lee Arendse was outstanding.

“It was also